Gary graduated from Wright State University in 1981 with a bachelor of science degree in Business from the Raj Soin College of Business. He holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration from Northwestern Universitiy’s J. L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management.
Gary was the recipient of Wright State University’s Raj Soin College of Business Outstanding Alumni Award in 2006, and was the Kellogg School’s Black Management Association’s 2011 Alumni of the year.
Gary is President and Chief Executive Officer and member of the Board of Directors of Career Education Corporation (CEC). Career Education Corporation is a $2.0 billion, publicly traded (NASDAQ:CECO) educational services company committed to quality, career-focused learning. The company has approximately 14,000 employees and operates colleges, schools and universities that offer doctoral, master’s, bachelor’s and associate degrees at more than 90 campuses in the US and abroad.
Before joining CEC, Gary served as President of Abbott Laboratories’ Ross Products. Prior to Abbott, he served for four years as Senior Vice President-Americas for the Chicago-based Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company, and spent 13 years at Procter & Gamble in Brand Management and progressively more responsible general management roles. Gary served five years in the United States Army as an Infantry Officer, where he rose to the rank of Captain. His awards and decorations included the Meritorious Service Medal, the Joint Service Commendation Medal, the Expert Infantryman’s Badge, the Ranger Tab and the Parachutist Badge.
Gary serves on the Board of Directors of The Sherwin-Williams Company (NYSE:SHW) where he is a member of the Audit Committee. In addition, Gary is an active member of The Commercial Club of Chicago, The Economic Club of Chicago, and the Board of Directors of the Executives’ Club of Chicago. In 2005, and again in 2009, he was named by Black Enterprise Magazine as one of the "75 Most Powerful Blacks in Corporate America".
Gary and his wife Kim reside in the Chicago area and are the parents of three children.